Crutch



A. B. LOUISON.

CRUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.2, I920 1,407,553, I Patented Feb. 21, 1922. l 46 /7 Vand useful Improvements vation taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. `3 isa transverse sectional view taken on the `the action-.of a crutch The top piece 2 is straight .upper surface.

cording 'and ina the weight upon thel crutch tendsat all dto' appro.aclia"` l position vin which it can be Veric.

' ALFRED B. nouisou, or RocKroRn, ILLINoIs.

CRUTCH.

i i I i `Application filed August 2,

To all whomc't may concern;

' Be it known that I, ALFRED B.' LotnsoN, a citizen of the United States, residingV at Rockforchin the countyof YWinnebagoand State of Illinois, have invented certainnew i in 4Crutches, Y of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to crutches, and it is the object of the invention lto provide improved means for mountingjthe arm rest upon the'staff of a crutch whereby the wear upon the clothing of the user it greatly-reduced, the discomfort attending its use is minimized, and the effort required in walking with the crutch is materially lessened.`

The object of the invention thus generally stated is attained by the construction and ar- Vrangement illustrated'in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which F igurel is a perspective viewof the upper portion of a crutch embodying the features of my invention. \Fig. 2 is a sectional ele- Fig line 3 -3 of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of partsof my construction. Figs. 46 and' 7 'are 'diagrammatic views illustrating embodying my construction in amodified'form. 1

\ In thelembodiment Lof the invention illus- .tra,ted,"the crutchcomprises a staff having crutch-sticks 1,\a top: piece or armrest 2, and a bearing member 3 ymounted upon `the upper end of the'orutch-sticks. The Vstruction and the `bearing member 3 1s procrutch-sticks'1`may be of .usual convided in its under side with 4openings 4 to receivey the upper vends ofv the crutch-sticks. preferably curved on a Vradius of substantial length so' as to enable an leasy rolling motionto be effected between it4 and the ln'ear'in, j; member 3 which has a By this construction it Vwill be apparent that in the use of the crutch, as the crutch staff is swungtol and fro with reference to the top piece, 'which' is held 4relatively stationary beneath the arm pitof the user, the bearing point between the toppiece and the bearingmember 3 is constantly shifted acto'the"angular position. ofthe crutch direction toward the vertical. Thus times supportedfwith"theleast `effort the part of the user? Specification of Letters Patent.

ing with its rolling rai-,enten ren. ai, i922. 1920.l serial No. 490,628.

Between the coacting surfaces of the top v` piece 2 andthe bearing member 3 is provided a flat spring member 5 adapted to hold the top piece in position upon the bearing member without preventing the relative `rolling motion therebetween. The center portion of the spring is struck up transversely to form a bend 6 which extends into a recess 7 Vcentrally formed in the top piece 2. A cross bar 8 (see Fig. 5) is positioned within the bend 6to secure the spring member 5 to the top piece and has upwardly bent flattened end portions 9 which extend along the sides of the top piece 2 and are suitably attached thereto as by screws 10. The spring 5 normallylies flat upon the upper surface of the bearing member 3, extending a substantial distance beyond each end thereof, and having downwardly and inwardly bent ends ll forming spaces l2 at each end of the bearing member 3. The extremities of the spring 5 are suitably secured to the bearing member 3` as by screws 13. The spring 5 may be formed with its side portions adjacent to the bend 6 extendingin upward angular relation to each other (see Fig. 4) so that when assembled in straightcned position the tension thereby set up will tend lto hold the spring and attachedtop piece snugly to the bearing member 3.

It will be apparent that as fthe bearing point of the top piece 2 and the memberv 3 upon the intervening spring 5 shifts from the center with the swinging of the staff, the center portion of the top piece will rise from the bearingmember and Vcarry the spring with it by means of the cross rod 8. The shorteningv of the distance'between its Vend portions by such action is compensated `trate the action of the spring member when the crutch is in use.

The spring thus secures the top piece against`displacement from the bearing member, without interfermotion thereon.l The spring has the further advantage of tending rto return the top piece to its normally central bearing position upon the bearing member.

In the Vpreferred construction of my invention 'I employ means indicated generally at 14 which cooperates with the spring 5f to 'secure the top pieceV to the bea-ring member and return the""two latter members to their normal relation. Itis ob vious, however, that the resem-5 lt may be hold the top piece in position upon the membei` 3. The upper end of thespring 19 preierablybears upon a slotted washer 21 engaging ywith the underside of the member 3,

and at its otherend upon a washer 22 supported by the Vwing nut 20. lt will be seen that tlie'means Mgdoes not prevent the del sired relative motion between the top piece Zand member 3,butserves Ito limit the extent of such movement. in either Vdirection, the spring being-,preferably so tensioned as normally to assist in holding the top piece 2 in its central position upon th'e member 3, without restraining to any material 'extent the normal rolling movement ot these ineinbers. lThe tension of tliespring may beadjusted as desired by the user: For, the purpose of preventingthe clothing of the vuser from being `caught, and

bound between the top piece 2 and the mem- .ber 3, yasuitable casing 23 ot preferred ma- .terial is secured about the-sides and ends voi thel top piece 2. The casing extends downward a suitable distance to enclose the ,member I3 and means 14, and the bottom is l open lto permit swinging of thecrutch stati'. 4Il' desired, the casing may be made oit rigid materialfso that the sides thereof serve as duide members for the relatively moving partsQ 3. A cushionpad 24e may be lmountedupon the upperside of the top piece 2, .on which rests the users body.

l It will be seen that I have produced a crutch of a very practical character. The top piece or arm rests supportstlie'bodyot the user. in practically constant position without causing the friction and discomfort arising where the top piece swings under the Varm with the stad. Wear `upon `the "clothing is Vmaterially decreased, and a cushion pad 'is made possible of use with advantage.

. L wiiiie .i heve iiieetfei'efieea aeeeriieea in' detailyapreferred embodiment of my invention, it should be clearly understood that the disclosure ism'erely for the purpose ot' illustration and that many modifications and sof variations will naturally occur to those skilled in the art, as for instance, that the spring 5 vmay be oa width somewhat narrower than the parts 2 and 3 and lie `in a recess in one or` both of them. I aim, in the subjoined claims to cover all such legitimate variations and modifications.

is flexibly secured l A vertical slot I claim as my invention 1. A crutch having, 1n combination, a toppiece, a bearing r'eii'iber for the top-piece, said ytop-piece and bearing member being 4shaped to permit relative rollinglmotion therebetween, and a flat spring yelement between `the coacting surfaces oi'saidY toppiece and bearing member, said element being attached to said top-piece at its center portion and having its :ends yieldingly attached to said ,bearing member. E

V2. A crutch having, in combination, a toppiece, a bearing member for the top-piece, i

.saidY top-piece and bearingmember being `shaped to `permit v relative rolling motion therebeti'veen, ada-t spring 'element beti've'en the coacting surfaces. of A said Vtop-piece and varying member, said'element being attached to said togp-piece at its center portion Yand having its `ends yieldingly vattzuihed-to said bearing member, and a casing mounted on .said Atop-piece and adaptedV ,to enclose substantially the moving @pa-rte? Y 3.V A crutch having,1in combination, a toppiece, a beaiinfgmember Vfor the top-piece, said top-piece and b'earin'glrmember Ybeing shaped to pe1'm it relative rolling motion therebetween, a fiat spring 'element between the coacting surfacesA of said top-piece and bearing member, said `element being attached to said top-piece at ,itsvcenter portion and having its ends .yieldiiigly attached to said b'eariiig member, a rodpivoted at one end to said toppie'ce and having a nut on'its other end, and a compression spring bearing between said iiutand said bearing member;

4. A crutch having, in combination, a staff, a bearing member mounted on said stafil' and having a substantiallyV straight up-lV per surface, a flatfs-pring overlying thegupper surface of said bearing member having an upward bend at its center portion and having its ends yieldingly :secured toj saidbearcentrally'thereot to receive the bendVV in said sihiring, a cross bar underlying said bend and attached to said top-piece, a central slot .ing member, a top-piecehaving a curved i `lower surface and havinga recess'formed through said bearing' member, a rod pivot!4 i ed at one end to said cressbar and -depend- -ing throughsaidi slot, a nut threaded on the other end of said rod,- 'and a spring bearing between said jnut and said ,bearing member.

- V5. A crutchhaving, in combination, a' statt. a bearing membermounted on said Y stati'v and havingV aV substantially straight up-v per surface, a flat spring overlyingthe upper surface of'said bearing member and having of said bearing memberadjaeenti-.to its upan upward bend atits center, vsaid Yrslprin'g]I having its ends overextendingsaid bearing Vmember and bent downwardly and-inwardly `for attachment lthereto thereby 'i Jformi-ng spaces between said Vspring ends and the ends bearing member,

`bearing member, members being shaped for relative rolling momes per surface, a top piece for said ,bearing member, and a cross bar underlying said bend and having upwardly extending end portions secured to said top-piece.

6. A crutch having, in combination, a bearmg member, an arm-rest member, said mem- Y bers being shaped to permit relative rolling .motion therebetween, and a spring element between the lcoacting surfaces of said members, said element being attached to one of said members at its center portion and having its ends attached to the other of said members.

7. A crutch having, in combination, a bearing member, a movable member, said members being shaped for relative rolling motion therebetween, and a flexible element between and attached to both of said members, said element being adapted to prevent relative longitudinal movement of said members other than a rolling motion therebetween.

8. lA crutch having, in combination, a a movable member, said motion therebetween, a flexible element between and attached to both of said members, said element being adapted to prevent relative longitudinal movement of said members other than a rolling motion therebetween, and means tending to maintain said movable member in an intermediate position. w

9. A crutch having, in combinatiton, a an arm-rest member, said members being shaped to permit relative rolling motion therebetween, a fiat spring element between the coacting surfaces of said members, said element being attached to one of said members at its center portion and having its ends yieldingly attached to the other of said members, a rod pivoted to one of said members, and a coiled spring engaging said rod and the other of said members whereby said members are yieldin'gly held in relative position.

l0. A crutch having, in combination, a bearing member, a movable member, a flexible element between and attached to both of said members, said members being capable' of relative rolling `movement in contact with said element, and a spring having a pivotal connection with one of said members and bearing upon the other member to yieldingly hold said members in relative position.

ll. A crutch having, in combination, a bearing member, a movable member, a flexible element between and attached to both of said members, said members being capable of relative rolling movement in contact with said element, and spring means tending to maintain the'movable member in a normal central position.`

l2. A crutch having, in combination, a pair of relatively rolling members, and a flexible element therebetween adapted to prevent relative movement of said members other than said rolling movement.

13. In a crutch, the combination of a fixed member and a movable member shaped so that the movable Vmember may roll upon the fixed member with the bearing point shifting substantiallyalong the entire length of the fixed member, spring means for retaining said members in operative association, and a flexible element interposed between and secured to both members to hold them against relative longitudinal movement.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALFRED B. LOUISON. 

